An Illinois lawmaker is looking to alter a federal law in the wake of Donald Trump’s Twitter typo “covfefe.”
On Monday, Rep. Mike Quigley introduced the COVFEFE Act, otherwise known as the Communications Over Various Feeds Electronically for Engagement Act, which presents alterations to the Presidential Records Act.
The COVFEFE Act promises to hold the president accountable for what he says on social media. Prior to the election, Donald Trump was very active on Twitter, using the platform to attack those who oppose and spread lies about President Obama. Though many hoped Trump would retire the Twitter Fingers after winning the election, that was not the case. Instead, Trump used the platform to attack news outlets, spread alternative facts, gloat about winning the election and complain about the Democrats.
As a result, Quigley has moved to include all social media posts, including deleted tweets, in the Presidential Records Act, in an effort to hold Trump accountable for his behavior on social media. The tweets would be archived and classified as “documentary material,” according to the bill.
“In order to maintain public trust in government elected officials must answer for what they do and say; this includes 140-character tweets,” the rep said on Monday. “Tweets are powerful, and the President must be held accountable for every post.”
“President Trump’s frequent, unfiltered use of the personal Twitter account as a means of official communication is unprecedented,” Quigley continued, noting that the social media posts merits historical recording. “If the President is going to take to social media to make sudden public policy proclamations, we must ensure that these statements are documented and preserved for future reference.”
Just last week, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said Trump’s tweets should be considered official White House statements, providing more reasoning to archive his tweets.
“The President is the most effect messenger on his agenda and I think his use of social media …gives him an opportunity to speak straight to the American people, which has proved to be a very very effective tool,” Spicer said.
“I think the same people who are critiquing his use of it now, critiqued it during the election and it turned out pretty well for him.”
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